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Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands

Little is known of the origin and purpose of the brochs; it appears that they were all lofty structures but the original height at Carloway is not known. It certainly required competent building skills to construct. The remains of the structure are circular in plan with a low narrow doorway giving access to the interior courtyard. A good average internal diameter is 32 ft. The thick walls are built hollow at ground level and the structure tapers to give a conical profile.

Much of the broch is missing, probably because the carefully built drystone masonry was easily pilfered for other buildings, but the form of the structure is clearly seen on inspection. Generally brochs are considered to date from about 200BC continuing into the Christian era.